Acoustic object detection system and method
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A system for detecting an object within a protected space, comprising:
- means for generating a standing wave field within a protected space, the standing wave field comprising a plurality of signals traveling along a plurality of propagation paths within the protected space, the propagation paths including reflections of the signals off of objects within the protected space;
means for detecting a change in a predetermined characteristic of the standing wave field upon the changing of a physical characteristic of an object within said protected space, the physical characteristic being the presence or absence of the object in the protected space; and
means for generating an alarm signal when said change in the standing wave field is greater than a predetermined threshold value to detect the presence or absence of the object in the protected space.
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Abstract
A standing wave field is generated within a protected space, the standing wave field comprising a plurality of signals traveling along a plurality of propagation paths within the protected space, the propagation paths including reflections of the signals off of objects within the protected space. A change in a predetermined characteristic of the standing wave field is detected upon the changing of a physical characteristic of an object within said protected space, and an alarm signal is generated when said change in the standing wave field is greater than a predetermined threshold value.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A system for detecting an object within a protected space, comprising:
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means for generating a standing wave field within a protected space, the standing wave field comprising a plurality of signals traveling along a plurality of propagation paths within the protected space, the propagation paths including reflections of the signals off of objects within the protected space; means for detecting a change in a predetermined characteristic of the standing wave field upon the changing of a physical characteristic of an object within said protected space, the physical characteristic being the presence or absence of the object in the protected space; and means for generating an alarm signal when said change in the standing wave field is greater than a predetermined threshold value to detect the presence or absence of the object in the protected space. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A system for detecting an object within a protected space, comprising:
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means for sampling an acoustic standing wave field generated within a protected space, the standing wave field comprising a plurality of signals traveling along a plurality of propagation paths within the protected space, the propagation paths including reflections of the signals off of objects within the protected space; means for detecting a change in a predetermined characteristic of the standing wave field when a physical characteristic of an object changes within said protected space, the physical characteristic being the presence or absence of the object in the protected space; and means for generating an alarm signal when said change in the standing wave field is greater than a predetermined threshold value to detect the presence or absence of the object in the protected space. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for detecting an object within a protected space, comprising:
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sampling a standing wave field generated within a protected space, the standing wave field comprising a plurality of signals traveling along a plurality of propagation paths within the protected space, the propagation paths including reflections of the signals from objects within the protected space; detecting a change in a predetermined characteristic of the standing wave field when an physical characteristic of the object changes within said protected space, the physical characteristic being the presence or absence of the object in the protected space; and generating an alarm signal when said change in the standing wave field is greater than a predetermined threshold value to detect the presence or absence of the object in the protected space. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28)
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29. A system for detecting an object within a protected space, comprising:
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a transmitter that transmits an acoustic signal into a protected space; a detector that detects an acoustic standing wave field with the protected space, the standing wave field comprising a plurality of signals reflected from objects within said protected space; a detector which measures the value of a predetermined characteristic of said standing wave field when a physical characteristic of an object changes within said protected space, the physical characteristic being the presence or absence of the object in the protected space; a comparator that generates a comparison value from said predetermined characteristic value and a stored predetermined characteristic value; and an alarm signal generator that generates an alarm signal when said comparison value is greater than a predetermined threshold value to detect the presence or absence of the object in the protected space.
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Specification